- After Orban’s defeat in Hungary, Bulgaria offers Kremlin’s next best bet The Washington Post
- Bulgaria votes as pro-Russian former president leads the polls Reuters
- Young Bulgarians hold out for change in eighth election in five years The Guardian
- Vladimir Putin’s ‘Trojan horse’ ahead in Bulgarian election Financial Times
- Bulgaria elections: Who’s running and what’s at stake? Al Jazeera
Why China is taking a behind-the-scenes role in the Iran war – The Washington Post
- Why China is taking a behind-the-scenes role in the Iran war The Washington Post
- China steps up Iran diplomacy while seeking smooth summit with Trump Reuters
- The Iran War Is a Win for China Foreign Affairs
- Why China Won’t Lean Hard on Iran The New York Times
- China turns Iran war to its advantage with plan to profit from US disaster The Telegraph
Two more Reform local election candidates accused of offensive posts
Labour calls on Nigel Farage to sack candidates and says his party’s checks ‘clearly not fit for purpose’
Reform UK’s checks on candidates are “clearly not fit for purpose”, Labour has said after two more candidates in May’s local elections were accused of making offensive or potentially racist social media posts.
Meanwhile, it emerged that Restore Britain, the party set up by the MP Rupert Lowe after he left Reform, appeared to have accepted a donation from someone who has called publicly on social media for “another Hitler” to come to power.
Continue reading...“Lords of war.” Brazil’s president condemns UN Security Council
Brazilian president has described the five permanent members of the UN Security Council as “Lords of War".
Father of man who inspired Super Mario was also named Luigi, researcher finds
Elisabeth Zetland, a senior researcher at MyHeritage, found that the actual Luigi had immigrated to US from Italy
Gaming enthusiasts have known for years that Nintendo named its mustachioed, superhero plumber after the company’s landlord, Washington state businessman Mario Arnold Segale.
But it has only just been determined that Nintendo may have unknowingly named Super Mario’s fictional brother after Segale’s real-life father: Luigi, whose biography evokes that of millions of 20th-century US immigrants from Italy.
Continue reading...French soldier serving with UNIFIL killed in Lebanon attack
The deadly incident comes just days after Israel and Lebanon announced a 10-day ceasefire.
As fentanyl crisis evolves, experts say US is still ‘behind the eight ball’
The Trump administration's militarised approach and cuts to health programmes threaten progress against fentanyl.
Trump and Tehran’s series of mismanaged posts stall progress towards peace
US president’s desperation for war to end has seen him trying to speed through a process he does not fully control
A set of mismanaged and premature media announcements by Donald Trump and Tehran has led to the collapse of progress towards a peace settlement between Iran and the US.
The recent missteps ended with Iran saying it would reinstate a complete block on the movement of commercial shipping through the strait of Hormuz and that it would not allow any of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium to be exported out of the country.
Continue reading...Trump announces reforms to accelerate access to psychedelic drug treatments
President signed executive order directing FDA to expedite review of psychedelic drugs including ibogaine
Donald Trump on Saturday announced reforms intended to speed up access to medical research and treatment based on psychedelic drugs.
The president signed an executive order directing the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expedite review of drugs such as ibogaine, which US military veteran groups have said can help treat post-traumatic stress disorder.
Continue reading...French peacekeeper killed in southern Lebanon
President Macron blames the attack on Hezbollah. The Iran-backed armed group denies "any connection" to the incident.
French film star Nathalie Baye dies aged 77, media report
President Emmanuel Macron said France had "loved, dreamed and grown up" with the stalwart of French cinema.
French film star Nathalie Baye dies aged 77, media report
President Emmanuel Macron said France had "loved, dreamed and grown up" with the stalwart of French cinema.
Iran closes strait of Hormuz again ‘until US lifts blockade’
IRGC reportedly fires on tanker as it tries to pass through strait during brief window when shipping lane had reopened
Iranian officials say they have reversed the reopening of the strait of Hormuz and reimposed restrictions on the vital shipping lane after the US said it would not end its blockade of Iranian ports.
A UK maritime agency reported that Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ships had fired at a tanker as it attempted to pass through the strait on Saturday. Reuters reported an Indian-flagged vessel carrying crude oil had also been attacked while in the waterway.
Continue reading...100 Historical Photos That Feel Like Witchcraft To Be Looking At In 2026 – BuzzFeed
With a handshake, Spain and Mexico put diplomatic tussle over their colonial past behind them – AP News
- With a handshake, Spain and Mexico put diplomatic tussle over their colonial past behind them AP News
- Mexico mends ties with Spain in first presidential visit in eight years Reuters
- Mexico's Sheinbaum denies 'diplomatic crisis' with Spain after conquest row BBC
- Mexico's Sheinbaum travels to Barcelona for 'progressive' confab, tension-easing talks with Spain Los Angeles Times
- President Sheinbaum’s Address to Barcelona Summit in Defense of Democracy Mexico Solidarity Media
UNICEF ‘outraged’ after Israeli forces kill water truck drivers in Gaza
UN Children's Fund calls on Israeli authorities to investigate and 'ensure full accountability'.
Ukraine strikes Russian oil refineries hours after US waives sanctions on Moscow’s oil – CNN
- Ukraine strikes Russian oil refineries hours after US waives sanctions on Moscow’s oil CNN
- Russia still tackling a blaze at Tuapse port Reuters
- Drones hit oil refinery in Russia's Samara Oblast Українська правда
- Moscow bombards Ukraine while Kyiv targets Russian oil facilities Euronews.com
- Ukraine hits 4 'important' Russian oil sites in overnight strikes, military says The Kyiv Independent
Ukraine Hits russian Yamal and Azov Ships, Mys-M1 Radar and Fuel Depot in Crimea Strike – Defense Express
- Ukraine Hits russian Yamal and Azov Ships, Mys-M1 Radar and Fuel Depot in Crimea Strike Defense Express
- Ukrainian forces hit three Russian fleet vessels in Crimea Українська правда
- Ukraine Says It Hit Three Russian Warships in Crimea With Drones Bloomberg.com
- SSU Struck Russian Black Sea Fleet’s Project 775 Large Landing Ships ‘Yamal’ and ‘Azov’ in Crimea Мілітарний
- Russian Black Sea Fleet Crippled Again as Ukraine Damages Three Ships in Crimea UNITED24 Media
Egypt’s Talaat Moustafa Group to build $27 billion city east of Cairo – Reuters
Millions listen to Ethiopian star’s song taking swipe at government
The country's biggest musician Teddy Afro laments a lack of unity in the country on his new track.